I will never forget
by headto
Summary: Regina Mills is a consultant and Emma Swan is an on-the-job trainee. A love story that may or may not have a happy ending. Author's AU. There is no curse or magic except the kind caused by love. All OUAT-identifiable characters that will appear are not mine but are adaptations of the characters by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"I like your clothes."

Regina Mills stopped walking and turned back. She saw a girl, smiling at her. She smiled back and said, "You want to exchange with me?" The girl smiled wider and Mills cannot help but do the same. Then she resumed walking.

Regina Mills is a consultant at a BPO company, the Golden Endeavours Inc. Her co-employees sometimes call her The Queen; a nickname describing her way of walking and fashion sense that her colleagues dubbed as fit for royalty. It was fitting. It represents the confidence and salary that one gets as being one of the most coveted consultants in the world at an age of only 25. She turned down offers from abroad to stay and take care of her family – unemployed parents and an older brother with special needs. It is a secret known only by a handful. The company offered her a benefits package rivaled only by the board of directors just to entice her to join the company. It was a good investment.

Meanwhile, Emma Swan is an on-the-job trainee (OJT), working her way through her last few months in college and hoping to finish a degree in human resource. She has been in the company for two months. She has always noticed The Queen but never had the opportunity to talk to her until now. She was waiting for the printer to release her report to the HR Manager when she saw someone in her periphery walking towards her. She did not know why it bothered her not to look so she did and saw Regina. The latter did not seem to notice Emma so the OJT blurted whatever came to her mind the moment Regina was beside her.

"I like your clothes." Stupid. Stupid. Emma thought to herself. However, Regina stopped and turned towards her and said "You want to exchange?" Emma cannot help but smile wider and watched in awe as she saw the other woman's eyes sparkle before walking away.

"You're not stupid after all Swan." Emma gave herself a mental pat and did not realize that she kept on smiling until the end of her shift.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Golden Endeavors is celebrating its 28th year anniversary and as per tradition, it will be a weeklong celebration. There will be booths in the hallways selling things made by the employees. There will be a "Bring Your Family to Work" day, a sports day, and other activities that will contribute to the festive atmosphere expected during their company anniversary. It will close with a musical presentation by the employees complete with a hired director, choreographer, costumes, lights and sounds system, and props. As a member of the HR unit, Emma is put in-charge of this grand presentation.

"Emma, good you're here already." The HR manager motioned for her to sit down in the only unoccupied chair in the room. "This is a list of your tasks for the musical presentation." The manager said, handing Emma a sheet of paper. "You will coordinate with Regina Mills since she will be part of the oversee committee and she will specifically supervise the musical." That was when Emma turned to her left and realized it was Regina Mills. The consultant simply nodded at her.

"Since we only have two months to prepare," the manager continued, "and we still need to do our jobs, you might need to stay later after work and come here on Saturdays for the practices. If you need to go to school then you just tell Mills and me. Do you have any questions?"

"So far none but if I have concerns I'll just ask you." Emma replied.

"Or better yet, go straight to Mills if it's related to the presentation. You don't have to report to me unless you can't find her."

"OK boss." Emma smiled at them and left.

"I wonder if she remembers me." Emma thought to herself walking towards her chair located between the manager's office and the unit's door. After a while, Regina exited the office without even a glance in her direction. "I guess she does not."

Since the list of tasks were somewhat detailed, Emma did not feel the need to consult Regina. One of the members of the production team, Margaret, was also a huge help since she has been part of the musical presentations for the past two years. Emma did not know if she has to report every day to Mills but since the latter has not called her for a meeting yet, she felt that she is doing her job fine so far.

It was almost two weeks when the OJT finally heard from the consultant, albeit briefly. After a stressful Saturday morning with the demanding director Killian Jones, Emma decided to find a secluded area in the garden behind the office. She was walking out the building when she decided to check her phone for the time. She has one new message from an unknown number and it read:

"We're going out for lunch. I do not know what time we will be back but text me if there are problems during practice. -RM"

"RM? Is this Regina Mills?" Emma wondered. She scrolled down the message and discovered that it was sent two hours ago. Having no idea what to reply, she placed her phone in her jeans' back pocket and almost bumped into someone when she rounded a corner.

"Ooops, sorry!" Emma blurted before realizing who it was.

"Don't worry." Regina waved her hand to emphasize that it was OK. "Did you receive my text message?"

Emma replied, "So that was you. Yes I did. Sorry. I only just read your message so I was not able to reply but there was no problem during practice. Just the usual demands of Killian but nothing I couldn't handle."

"See, I told you there's no need to worry. Emma is good with these things. She was well-recommended by her manager." The person beside Regina said, smiling at Emma. The OJT only knows her as Kathryn, another consultant and member of the oversee committee. She used to handle the musical presentations, Emma later learned, until it was assigned to Mills this year.

"That seems to be the case." Regina smiled at Emma and then added, "Now you have my phone number so do not hesitate to contact me if you need to."

"OK, thanks." Emma replied.

"Bye Emma." Kathryn smiled at her and then continued walking towards the stairs.

"Bye Ms. Kathryn and Ms. Mills." Emma waved and turned the corner.

She did not see Regina Mills watching her go.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Regina watched Emma walk away. She was not aware that she was staring for an unusual amount of time until she heard someone call her.

"Regina! Are you coming?" Regina turned and saw Kathryn waiting for her at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, sorry." She walked towards her colleague and past her. Kathryn had to walk faster to catch up. "Are you OK?" She asked.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. I just remembered something. Let's go." Regina continued walking and upon reaching their office floor, she stopped and turned to Kathryn.

"I'm going to rest for a while as I'm feeling a migraine coming."

"Well OK but we're still on for later, right? You're still going shopping with me for the anniversary party?"

"Yes of course. I'll be OK later. It's probably just due to the intense heat outside."

Regina sat down in her cubicle and massaged her temples and then her eyes, just below the eyebrows. Closing her eyes, an image of a girl with blond hair and green eyes appeared in her mind. Emma Swan. Then the girl smiled at her. Regina felt her heart constrict… or leap, she was not sure but she gasped from the sudden burst of feeling and opened her eyes.

Ever since that day when the OJT remarked on her clothes, Regina began to be more aware of her. She's noticed her before, of course, but she was just the OJT – walking, or rather running from floor to floor, delivering stacks of paper to the managers and consultants. The first time she saw her was when the younger woman went inside the meeting room to talk to the HR Manager. Regina was the one presenting in front and she was distracted. The HR Manager noticed that she stopped talking and said, "I'm sorry. I will take this outside. Please continue." Later during the break, the HR Manager apologized again to Regina and said that Emma was the new OJT for the department and the matter was urgent.

It was after a month when she finally exchanged words with Emma. She noticed a blond head stooped down on a printer and before the girl can catch her, she straightened her gaze pretending not to see her. But the girl said "I like your clothes" and the next thing she knew, she was turning around and saying "You want to exchange?" When the girl smiled, she can't help but smile back. From that day on, the girl was no longer the OJT. She was Emma Swan.

Regina cannot explain it but there is something about Emma. When she learned that Emma will be working directly under her for the musical presentation, she felt happy but the unexplainable makes her uncomfortable and so when she left the HR Manager's office, she did not look at her on her way out. The consultant also tried to convince herself that she just wants to let Emma do her thing first that is why she never called a meeting. She asks for updates instead from Margaret but in a discreet way so as not to plant any suspicion on the latter's mind on why she is asking her instead of Emma. However, two weeks is a long time not to talk about the presentation and so she decided to send her a message through text during the Saturday practice. After editing and re-editing the message, she finally decided on just informing the OJT that she is going out for lunch but that she can contact her if there is any problem. She waited for a reply but there was none. She felt sad but tried to keep up a happy facade for Kathryn's sake. Then she almost bumped into Emma. Emma smiled at her again and she forgot why she was sad. But Emma said goodbye and walked away and she felt her happiness ebb.

"This is crazy." Regina knocked her head with both hands hoping for a light bulb moment. Nothing. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly. Then Emma's face popped in her mind again. She stood up and walked towards Kathryn.

"I'll be back later." Regina told Kathryn and left when the latter nodded. She scrolled through her contacts on her cellphone and dialled a number.

"Hi Emma, it's me Regina. Are you back in the practice area? Good. I am on my way there now. I was hoping we could have our meeting while watching them. OK see you."

Regina noticed that her migraine is gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**You're right We Owe Them So Much, we all love Regina's clothes. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Emma sat on a bench, clasped her hands and placed them on her lap, closed her eyes, bowed her head, and breathed. She breathed again. She breathed deeply on the third try. Then she looked at the sky and saw two birds that seem to be playing tag.

Regina Mills, she sighed the name and then felt her mouth turning into a smile. Regina Mills. Too bad she didn't bump into her earlier, at least she could have finally touched her. Emma Swan, you're a perv. This she said aloud and hearing the words made it sound worse. She shook her head as if to shake off the naughty thoughts.

She watched the two birds in the sky land just a few feet away from where she's seated. They are now fighting each other using their beaks. Or kissing. Emma is not sure if birds kiss but if they're human then that's definitely what they're doing. Her silent reverie was disrupted when Anna Kendrick's "When I'm Gone" blared signalling a phone call. She answered without checking who was calling and everything stopped.

"Hi Emma, it's me Regina. Are you back in the practice area?"

"N-no but I'm heading back now." She stammered.

"Good. I am on my way there now. I was hoping we could have our meeting while watching them."

"Um, OK."

"OK see you."

The call ended before she can reply. She sat for a moment and felt a smile on her face again. Then she stood up and went inside.

* * *

Regina was watching the director demonstrate to the cast the intensity of hip movement he is looking for when Emma sat down beside her.

"Killian has the moves, huh?"

Regina turned to her with an amused smile and said, "If you're into those types, I guess."

"What type?"

"Black eyeliners and silver blings."

"Oh. Definitely not my type."

"And what is your type?"

Your type. Emma thought. "I'm not sure yet. Maybe I'll tell you someday when I'm sure."

"OK." Regina smiled before getting her notebook. "So let's get down to business, shall we?"

* * *

Regina looked at the time and saw that it was already time to meet with Kathryn. Time sure flies when you're having fun, she thought to herself. "I have to go. Tell Killian what we've talked about and then I'll see you on Monday at 10:00 in the morning and you can tell me what he's decided on."

"Sure. Have a nice weekend."

Regina tried to think of something important to say but came up with nothing so she stood up. Before she could realize what she's doing, she touched Emma's left arm and squeezed. "You too."

* * *

"E-MMA."

"Huh?" Emma looked behind her and saw Margaret looking at her.

"Are you OK?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because you're staring."

"Huh?"

"You're staring at The Queen."

"So? I mean, no."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, what is it?"

"Well, I'm glad that you two finally sat down and talked."

"What do you mean?"

"Regina's been asking me for updates about the musical and I thought some of the topics should be discussed with you. And since she's asking me about your part of the job then I know that you two haven't talked yet."

"Maybe she's just busy and you're the one she sees often."

"Yeah, you're right. We are just one floor apart." Margaret paused for a moment, seeming to say something but decided against it. "Anyway, do you want to have dinner again tonight after practice?"

"Sure, but I have to go home early. I also have to talk to Killian first so I'll text you when I'm ready to go."

"OK. I'll go back to prod."

"Bye."

Emma continued watching the practice. "Looking" is probably a better term because her mind is elsewhere. She kept thinking about what Margaret said. She wondered why Regina did not ask for updates or met with her for the past two weeks and since she apparently has her number, she could have texted her anytime.

As she cannot think of any reason as of the moment, Emma decided to ask Regina herself. On Monday. Or someday. She went back to watching the employees until it was time to wrap up.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Emma, I will see you in Room A at the 11th floor in 10 minutes."

Emma read the text and knocked on the HR Manager's door.

"Yes, Emma?"

"Good morning Mr. Humbert. I have a meeting with Ms. Mills at the 11th floor in a few minutes. Is that OK?"

"This is for the musical? OK. Can you bring this first to the guard at the ground floor? And I need you back before lunch."

Emma took the sealed document and said, "Sure, the meeting won't probably take long. Thanks sir."

"Oh, and Emma?"

"Yes?"

"It's Graham, OK? Mr. Humbert is my father." The HR manager smiled at her.

"Sorry, kept on forgetting. I'll see you later Graham." Emma smiled back and left.

* * *

Emma was waiting for the elevator at the ground floor when she heard a voice behind her.

"You're late." She turned and saw Regina and Kathryn walking towards her, each with a Starbucks cup.

"I'm still earlier than you." Emma replied and the two consultants smiled back. She continued, "That smells good. What kind of coffee is that?" motioning to Regina's cup.

"This is not coffee. This is milk tea. You want to try it?"

Emma wanted to say no, because it's HER cup, but Regina was already pushing it to her hands. The elevator door opened and Kathryn went in first followed by Regina then Emma. Regina pressed the buttons to floors five and eleven while Emma sipped on the cup.

"Oh, this tastes really good." Emma said, "I never thought milk tea tastes this good. I've always been a coffee drinker and sometimes, chocolate."

"Too much coffee is bad for you and chocolate is fattening." Regina said, reaching for the cup again and taking a sip. Kathryn quietly watched them both from behind. When the elevator stopped on the fifth floor, the door opened and the consultants exited.

"I'll just get my things then I'll see you upstairs. Here, you can finish this." Regina returned the cup to Emma and turned away when the elevator closed. She saw her colleague looking at her.

"Yes?"

"You don't share your food with me."

"Huh?"

"You don't let me borrow your mug in the pantry."

"Because you have your own."

"You don't let me drink from your cup."

"It's unhygienic."

"You sipped from the cup that Emma sipped from."

"Oh." Regina stopped. Drat. I wasn't thinking. "Stress must have made me forget."

"Yes, let's blame the stress."

"Are you implying something?"

Kathryn looked at Regina. Something is going on with Regina and it definitely involves a certain OJT but the former doesn't know it yet. Or if she does, she's trying not to show it. Well she needs to try harder because this Regina, the one that seems confused lately, the one that stares into nothingness, is not the Regina she knows. "Nope, I'm not." Kathryn finally answered, deciding to take pity on her friend. Regina Mills will tell her the story when she's ready. "Come on, you're going to be late for your meeting."

* * *

Emma was sitting and staring at the now finished cup when Regina walked in. The younger woman hoped that she did not notice but of course, she did.

"Trying to magically fill the cup with coffee?" Regina joked, earning a sheepish smile from the OJT.

"No, just thinking that I definitely should not say no to something until I've tried it."

"A dangerous philosophy."

"If you apply it to a cup of tea then it's not."

"You really liked it then?"

"Yes, I did." Probably because you drank from it. Emma thought to herself, glancing down at the now fading lipstick mark which she knows is Regina's because she does not wear makeup.

Regina looked at Emma's line of view and felt her face heating up. Take charge Regina, she scolded herself. When she felt her face cool down again, she cleared her throat. Emma looked up and Regina saw the younger woman's face a mirror of how her own face must have looked like seconds ago.

"Let's get started?" Regina forced herself to smile to exude calm. Emma nodded and they started with the meeting.

* * *

"How long have you been with Golden Endeavors?" Emma asked Regina while they were watching the practice again. They have formed a kind of friendship during the past few weeks and now they meet every practice with Regina always bringing food for the both of them.

"A couple of years." Regina said after swallowing the ice cream. She licked again and saw in her periphery that Emma is watching her. It caught her unguarded that she smeared a bit into the side of her mouth. Emma automatically reached for her handkerchief and wiped her face.

Regina, trying to mask the slight tremble the action caused her, commented, "Is that even clean?"

"Of course it's clean. I wouldn't have used it to wipe the sweat off my face earlier if it isn't."

"You're gross."

"You're messy when you eat."

They laughed. After a while, Emma went back to watching the practice and Regina continued.

"This is my second job. It never occurred to me to apply here but someone from the HR called me and said that they would love to have me here. I was curious you know so I met with Graham, your boss, and he said that they learned about what I did for my first company and thought that I am exactly what they needed. They offered me a salary package I cannot refuse so I accepted."

"What you did for your previous company must have been really amazing." Emma said with genuine awe.

"Well, it turned them from a medium-size to a large-scale enterprise. And I know you'll ask me this so I'll answer now – I was very young when I finished school because I skipped a couple of years and I finished college in less than three years."

"Oh. Wow. You're amazing."

Regina felt her heart swell. Many people have told her that she's amazing but she just shrugged it off. However, with Emma, she felt that she really is amazing. She looked at Emma and when the latter looked at her she said, "Thanks."

Emma smiled and placed her hand on top of Regina's and they continued watching the practice. If any of them noticed that their fingers intertwined with each other at some point, they did not comment on it. What they do know is that both wanted for the day to not end.


	6. Chapter 6

**I'd like to send a personal note to all of you but I can't because most are signed up as "Guests" so when I say THANK YOU, it's for everyone. For reading, browsing, writing reviews, etc. This must be how a writer feels (i.e. happy, giddy) when s/he learns that s/he is able to make the readers happy. Thank you also for pointing out what you like in the story. I already have a storyline in mind but no ending yet so I hope you will continue to enjoy this journey.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

The week of the anniversary came. Regina was looking at the stores lining the hallway when something caught her eye. It was a necklace with a dream catcher pendant. She paid for it and asked the employee to wrap it in nice paper. When Emma arrived in her cubicle she noticed a square object wrapped in red. She dropped the stacks of paper she was carrying on her desk and picked up the gift.

"I hope you like it. –RM" The small note with the gift said. She opened the box and touched the necklace. A dream catcher? I wonder what this means. Emma looked up to see if her benefactor was still around. When she did not see her, she tried composing a thank you message but changed her mind mid-way. She decided to thank Regina in person. She began filing the documents and waited until the clock struck to signal the start of the practice.

* * *

Regina was nervous of how Emma will take the gift. She rarely gave gifts and when she does, it's perfunctory. It's been so long since she gave a thought to a gift that she's going to give someone. As she waited for the girl to arrive at the practice area, she tapped her pen on her hips.

"You know you're hurting your pen, right?"

"Huh?" Regina turned to the voice and saw Emma looking at her with an amused face.

"Pens are things, dear, they do not feel."

"And Regina Mills is not tensed right now." Emma sat beside her, placed both hands on the consultant's shoulders, and looked her in the eyes. "Relax. I know that tomorrow is judgement day but it will be great." Emma watched as various emotions flitted in the other woman's face until it stopped with the usual Regina mode – calm and collected.

"I don't get nervous."

"Of course you don't. You're Regina Mills."

"You make it sound like a bad thing."

"Nope. I definitely need a Regina Mills in my life."

Regina failed to come up with a proper retort and Emma saw this all. She continued looking at the older woman, who was also looking back at her. She wanted to expound on what she said but didn't want to scare Regina. In an attempt to lighten up the mood, she added, "Because having a secret Santa when it's not even Christmas is a really good thing."

Emma saw Regina blush a bit but did not comment. She smiled instead and said, "Thank you for the necklace."

Regina waved her hand to show that it wasn't a big deal and said, "I saw it and remembered you once telling me that dream catchers fascinate you."

Emma tried to rack her mind for when she told her about it and after a while, she remembered saying it in passing. The fact that Regina remembered something that she hasn't given much thought about showed that the other woman was really listening to her… even the small details were noted and kept to heart. No one has done something like that for her before. She knows that she's a private person but she's never experienced something like this from the few friends that she has. She wanted to hug the woman but instead said, "It means a lot to me. Thank you."

"Well then, you're welcome and I'm glad you like it."

* * *

The next day, the day of the musical presentation, Regina found Emma curled up on her side and sleeping at the office clinic. The nurse informed her that the OJT had something of a hyperacidity attack because she did not eat anything for breakfast but Vitamins C, which turns out is Ascorbic Acid. She wanted to strangle the girl but seeing the tension in her face and hand holding the hot compress to her stomach, she instead brushed off the hair from her face. That's when she noticed the necklace. Emma was wearing it under her clothes. She actually hesitated giving it to her because Emma said wearing jewelleries feels constricting but she thought that she can hang the dream catcher in her room instead. And now she's wearing it. The swell of emotion made her lean down and press a soft kiss on the girl's forehead. Regina left the clinic without a word.

Emma woke up two hours later. She wasn't sure if she dreamt that someone was hovering over her and pressing something on her head, a kiss perhaps, or it was real. A couple of questions to the nurse confirmed that someone did look for her and it was Regina Mills.

It was definitely a dream. No way will Regina be kissing her. Emma thought to herself. She left the clinic and went to find Margaret at the prod section. When Margaret saw her, she approached Emma with a concerned look on her face.

"Are you OK? We've been looking for you all over the place. No one knows where you were and Killian has called for you since morning."

"I was asleep at the clinic because I wasn't feeling too well this morning. Sorry. I did tell Graham where I was going." Emma replied.

"Yes, it was him who told us where to find you but he only arrived an hour ago. Ms. Mills checked on you. Did you see her?"

"No I didn't. I'll go see her and Killian now."

"OK, see you tonight Emma."

"See you M."

Emma went in search of the director first. Killian brushed off her apology and handed her a shopping bag.

"What's this?" Emma asked Killian while opening the bag.

"What you're going to wear later tonight."

It was a black tank top with very thin straps. Something Emma will never ever wear.

"Um, I can't wear this Killian. It barely covers my chest and my stomach."

"Come on love, it will look good on you. Time to flaunt what you've got."

"Fine but I'm wearing something over it."

Killian grinned and said, "I'll see you later. Don't be late."

Emma stuffed the top back in the bag and looked for Regina. She passed her on the way to the elevator. Regina simply took her arm and almost dragged her to the cafeteria.

"Sit." Regina pointed to a chair in the corner. Emma sat and watched Regina talk to the one in-charge and was later handed a bowl. She placed the bowl of soup with rice in front of Emma, sat on the opposite chair and said, "Eat."

"But I'm not hungry."

Regina stared at her. Emma cringed and forced herself to eat. After a few sips, Regina's face turned to one of concern and finally talked.

"What were you thinking?"

"I guess I'm just too nervous for tonight that's why I cannot eat this morning but see, I'm eating now and I'm much better."

"Well I'm glad you're better and I hope you learned your lesson. When you didn't answer any of my calls and text messages and NO ONE can tell me where you were, I almost panicked."

"I'm sorry…"

"You should be."

Emma reached across the table to touch Regina's arm. "Can you smile instead because your frown is upsetting my stomach."

"It's your fault that you're sick."

"Yes, yes I know." Emma decided to change tactic. "Did you really panic when none can find me?"

"I don't panic." Regina answered and looked away.

"But you just said you alm- fine. Regina Mills does not do panic. So why did you visit me at the clinic?"

"I was worried."

"Imagine that, you're worried about me. I think I like a worried Regina than a panicked one."

Regina said nothing and continued looking away. Emma squeezed the arm in her hand and said, "I think I will worry too if you got sick."

The consultant can't help but look at the OJT and smile. The latter smiled back and returned to eating.

* * *

The musical was a success. Not only based on Emma's opinion but also from the whispers of the audience near her. She heard some say that it's one of the best presentations in the history of Golden Endeavors. Emma watched as all those involved in the musical – the actors, the production team, Killian and the choreographer, and others – went up the stage to take a bow.

"You know, the commentator did say EVERYONE involved should go up there." Emma turned towards the voice and saw it was Regina.

"You're not there." Emma replied looking back to the stage.

"Well, I didn't really do anything but order you and Margaret around. You, however, is one of the pillars of the presentation."

"I'm good here."

"You're hiding in the dark and looking wistfully at them."

"I'm not hiding! This is the sound system area where I'm supposed to be during the show. I just don't want to go up the stage."

"Well that's a waste."

"What is?"

"No one got to see you bow in that tank you're wearing although you should probably remove that leather jacket."

"Um, no. I only wore this because Killian insisted but it makes me look… like something I don't want to be."

"Hot?" Regina realized what she said and was thankful for the darkness. It helped hide her face that, she is sure, turned red.

"What?"

"Nothing. Come on let's steal some free food from the cafeteria and celebrate at the garden."

Emma definitely heard what Regina said but decided to let it go. She called me hot. Emma thought and grinned. "Sure, let's go."

* * *

They sat on the grass under the only tree. They have a box of pizza and a couple of sodas. Regina took a bite on her slice and looked at Emma who was staring at her hands and not eating. She placed her pizza back on the box, wiped her fingers, and turned the OJT's face towards her by the chin. "Something wrong?"

"Um... nothing." Emma said, trying to free herself from the older woman's grasp but failing.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to but I want you to know that I will listen and there won't be any judgment."

Emma tried to see for any sign of lie in the statement but found none. For once in her life, she felt that she can share something very personal and not be afraid of being turned away. She's known Regina for only a couple of months but the latter has turned to one of the, if not the most important person in her life. She decided to take a risk. One more risk.

"I'm adopted." Emma began and when the other woman removed her hold on her chin but said nothing, she continued, "I never knew my parents and I've been to different foster parents over the years. I've always felt that it was my fault that they gave me away, all of them, so I try to be the perfect daughter. I always have to win, to excel in whatever I do, so that my parents will be proud of me. When I was in grade school, I joined a competition. When I realized that I was going to lose, I- I stole somebody's chance at winning. The other girl knew what I did but didn't tell those in-charge about it and let me win. Eventually I realized that what I did was wrong and since then, I've tried to make up for it. Like a penance. Being recognized and put in the limelight lost its allure for me. Whenever I work with a team, I let others bask in the glory while I celebrate at the back."

Regina was expecting a story but definitely not that. She heard Emma say that she's adopted and that she cheated but all she can see is a little girl growing up feeling so unwanted and often rejected. Someone who was driven to succeed just to be loved and accepted. She saw a wonderful person who has accepted that she was wrong and tries hard to make up for it but cannot forgive herself. Understanding that the issue of adoption is a very heavy topic, she decided not to ask questions about it but rather focus on the topic that has brought on this conversation.

"Whatever you did before, it shouldn't affect your life forever. You probably made enough penance for it already. It's not bad to accept an applause every once in a while especially if it's well-deserved." Regina popped open two soda cans and handed one to the other woman.

"Let's make a toast. To Emma, the OJT who made my job easier and the without whom the musical would most assuredly not have been that much of a success, thank you." Regina raised her can to Emma.

Emma looked at Regina and felt a hundred emotions vying for attention in her heart. No one has ever made her feel the way that the consultant has made her feel for the past weeks. She felt special and even loved. Right now, at this moment, she decided that she will celebrate her success. The musical gave her an opportunity to spend time with Regina and that is something she is thankful for. Now that the musical is done, she probably will not see her anymore except, maybe when they pass each other in the hallway. With that private thought in her mind, she tapped Regina's drink with hers.

"Cheers."

They both took a sip. Regina found Emma looking at her and smiled back. Then she watched Emma's hand slowly moving towards hers. However, before Emma could touch her, Regina's phone went off. It was Kathryn calling to ask where she is and whether she needs a ride home.

"I have to go." Regina told Emma after telling Kathryn that she's on her way to their office floor. They both stood up and brushed off the grass and dirt that clung to their clothes. "Good night Emma." Regina pulled Emma gently towards her and wrapped both her arms around her in a hug and with her mouth beside her ear she added, "For me, you're already perfect." Then she placed a kiss on the young woman's cheek, pulled back and looked at her eyes before wiping the lipstick mark and walking away.

The OJT just stared at the retreating figure, her mind clouded with the memory of Regina's breath upon her ear and the kiss. It was a chaste one but it was a kiss. From Regina. While she cringes when other people kiss her, she only felt that she wanted Regina to kiss her again. And again. When she can no longer see her, Emma was finally able to speak.

"Good night, my queen." Emma whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 **

Regina barely heard what her colleague-turned-driver was saying. Her mind is still with the blonde-haired woman she left under the tree. She felt eyes watching her as she walked away and it took all she had not to tell Kathryn to leave her so she can stay longer. She sighed and realized that the car had stopped. She looked around and saw that they're already in front of her house.

"Thanks." Regina said, unlocking her seat belt.

"You're welcome," Kathryn replied, paused then continued, "But you know, we could have driven her home if you just asked." She looked at her friend intently. She knew Regina was not listening to her because the few questions she raised during the drive were left unanswered. Regina's flustered face made her realize that the former is battling whether to play clueless or just answer honestly so she offered, "Emma? I do not mind driving her home tonight. It is pretty late and I know she lives far from the office."

Regina kept silent.

Kathryn sighed and decided to let her friend go. "Go and get some rest Regina. I'll see you next week."

Regina nodded and finally spoke, "Good night Kathryn. See you Monday." She gave a final glance to the other woman before going inside.

* * *

Emma was lying in bed when her phone beeped. It was Regina.

"Are you home?"

She typed in a "yes" and waited a whole minute for a reply to come.

"That's good. Good night Emma."

"Good night Regina." She put the phone down on her bedside drawer and was about to close her eyes when another beep disrupted the moment.

"Sweet dream. *hug*"

Emma did.

* * *

Monday came and Emma found herself swamped with work. She barely had time to think about other things and when she did, in between punching holes in documents and putting them in folders, all she can think about is Regina. Throughout the weekend all she can think about is texting or calling the black-haired beauty but decided against it, not wanting to be deemed as clingy. She's about 80 percent sure that Regina has special feelings for her but the remaining 20 percent is the uncertainty of what these feelings are exactly. Platonic? Sisterly? Romantic? The first one makes her sad but it's better than nothing. The second one makes her cringe because her feelings are definitely not sisterly. The last one makes her knees weak and her heart soar. She has not heard from the other woman too and feels sad that maybe since the musical has passed, her interest has also died. It was when she closed that last file cabinet when the HR Manager called her to his office.

Emma sat and waited for Graham to finish reading the papers at his desk. When Graham signed the last of the papers, he set aside his pen and looked at his OJT.

"I will be on leave beginning tomorrow. I will be out of the office for the next two weeks for a business meeting out of the country and then a personal leave afterwards. I will leave a list of tasks that I need you to prepare by the time I get back. It's a short list so you may opt to not report to work on some days and instead finish some school requirements because I know your program is ending in the next months. Is that clear?"

"Yes so far. So I can have some personal leave too huh?" Emma replied with a grin.

Graham smiled at his OJT and said, "Yes, you do. We all deserve a long break after that grueling anniversary preparation. Anyway, the oversee committee also requested that those involved in the celebration help out in the auditing of the materials, finances, and other things. Expect Regina Mills to call on you during the next couple of days."

"OK boss. Have fun on your trips." Emma smiled both from having personal time-off and the opportunity to spend time with Regina again.

She finally heard from the consultant in the afternoon of the next day. She entered Room B at the fifth floor and saw Margaret and other OJTs and employees that worked with Mills in the other activities. She sat down beside her friend. Regina explained the things they had to prepare and their deadline. Emma tried to jot down notes to help her not stare at the speaker the whole time. Once the meeting was done, everyone stood and left in trickles until all who were left was Margaret, Emma, and the consultant. Emma watched Regina thru her peripheral vision while also pretending to write something in her notepad as the latter pack her laptop. Margaret suddenly nudged her and said, "Would you like to meet later after work?"

Emma was hoping to invite Regina after work but does not know how to tell Margaret no. She was saved from answering when Margaret looked behind her and when she turned it was Regina.

"Emma, I'd like to talk to you later about your deadline but I have another meeting in a little while. Can we perhaps meet after work? It won't take long but I thought we can get started already since I also have to talk to the rest of the group."

Emma looked back to Margaret who said, "It's OK. We can do it another time." Then turned to the consultant and said, "I'll see you tomorrow morning Regina." Then she left.

They both watched the employee leave and once the door closed, Emma stepped closer to Regina and wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, pressing her close and resting her head upon her shoulders. Then she said the only thing she can think of that moment, "Hi."

Regina was surprised at first but felt warmth enveloped her body and cannot resist as her own arms enveloped the young woman. "Hi."

They pulled back from each other after a while but their fingers linked with each other, both not wanting to let go of the other person but also fearing of being caught in a possibly intimate embrace. Regina remove her right hand from Emma's grasp and placed it on the younger woman's left cheek in a caress, "I'll see you later, OK?"

Emma smile and said, "OK boss."

* * *

That meeting in the afternoon was followed by more rendezvous for both work and personal reasons. Even when they finished the audit, they still made time to see each other. Sometimes Emma would pass by the fifth floor and try to get a glimpse of the consultant. They would sometimes get coffee in the cafeteria and spend the 15-minute afternoon break just talking about their day. At night they would call or text each other until they fell asleep. It would just be a smile or a nod in the hallway when there are people around and a hug when they're alone.

They never talk about what's happening between them. How hugging each other has become as natural as breathing air. It's like there's a magnet pulling them towards each other. For example, during a town hall meeting, Regina was talking to one of the directors when she felt compelled to look at the door. In came Emma who had her head bent reading something but suddenly looked up directly at Regina's eyes. Another was when Emma was rushing up the stairs towards the office when she caught a faint scent of perfume that made her stop and turn towards the source which led her directly towards the consultant who was talking to Kathryn.

These unspoken feelings, whatever they are, have brought change in them that people began to notice although no one voiced their thoughts on the matter. Even Kathryn and Margaret have kept mum, both just happy that their friend seemed happier. Among the most obvious effect is the rise in attention that Regina Mills are getting from the male population. They still feel intimidated but they are beginning to find the courage to talk or engage The Queen in conversation. It was Valentine's Day and several sweet notes and flowers found their way to her desk. One soul proved to be more courageous which brings Regina and Emma sheepish embarrassment whenever they remember the incident, but for different reasons.

It was during lunch of the love day when Sidney Glass, one of the assistant managers, brought four of his staff to serenade Regina. He was there in the middle of the group with a bouquet of flowers while his band of crooner sang a love song which lyrics is forgettable. The consultant was surprised and stood there not knowing what to do and how to react. Suddenly, Emma arrived, oblivious to what was happening, and not really caring that many people were around, went up to Regina and wrapped her around the older woman and whispered "Happy Valentine's Day". The consultant automatically wrapped her arms around the OJT and after a few seconds whispered back "Listen." Emma did, registered the last few lines of a song, removed her hands around the woman and turned around. She saw Sidney's staff trying to contain their laughter. The assistant manager, understandably, was not amused.

Emma felt her cheeks burn and stammered "I'm sorry", told Regina that she'll see her later and then rushed out of the scene. It was after work when she received a text message from the consultant asking her if she would like to go out for snack before going home.

* * *

"Sidney, huh?" Emma said once the consultant sat on the opposite chair at Starbucks. The latter smiled an embarrassed one, remembering how after the assistant manager left, her colleagues in the fifth floor began kidding her. How they enjoyed it.

"Yeah," Regina sighed, "I've known for a while now because Kathryn said that she overheard someone teasing him about me. What he did today though did not make him endearing to me because I felt awkward the whole time."

"I thought women in general like to be serenaded, although no one has ever done that to me. I thought it was sweet." Emma knew she might have been a bit jealous if she did not find the incident funny. That is until Regina said, "Maybe if I liked Sidney, I would have enjoyed it."

"It's a relief to know you don't." Emma muttered under her breath before sipping her mocha frappe. She half hoped that the black-haired beauty heard it while the other half hoped she did not but when Regina asked "What?" she decided on the second option.

"I said, you've never told me about your love life."

"Well you never asked and honestly, I do not have a happy story to tell."

Emma raised an eyebrow to show disbelief of the statement. The other woman pretended not to notice but finally gave up when the OJT continued looking at her.

"My first boyfriend was Daniel. He was an equestrian that is why I learned how to ride a horse. It ended before I started working. I have a sort of suitor now but I'm not taking him seriously. Leopold is a bit old and a single father. I don't really like him and have told him that I'm not interested in him romantically but he's been a good friend. He would sometimes invite me for coffee and send me gifts during occasions. Then there were a few in-between but mostly dating only and usually a double date with Kathryn."

Emma noted that Regina did not say what happened to Daniel so she asked, "So you broke up with Daniel, huh?"

"Why did you think I broke up with him? He could have broken up with me instead."

"Simple. I can't see any reason for him to break up with you."

In an attempt to hide the pinkish tint crawling in her cheeks caused by the sweet compliment, Regina looked down at the hot tea in her hand. Then she remembered the question and turned sober once again. She took a sip of her beverage then said, "He died."

It was the silence that made her look up and she saw sadness reflected in the other woman's eyes. Sadness brought on by empathy and understanding of how it is to lose someone dear to you. She decided to continue, "We had a… discussion the night before his competition. My mother, she doesn't want Daniel and wanted me break up with him. I told him about it and he said that he'll fight for me. He fell from his horse during a jump. Autopsy showed that he died of a weak heart, that's why he collapsed. His heart couldn't take the stress. He was born with a hole in his heart and he didn't tell me. Sometimes I think I should blame myself. Maybe if I didn't tell him that night, he would still be alive."

Hands closed over hers and she began to relax. Regina did not cry. She no longer cried. The memory still makes her sad but her new-found happiness during the past couple of months has lessened the pain. The owner of the hands wrapped around her own has unconsciously restarted her heart causing it to beat again.

Emma just sat there, waiting for the older woman to speak again. To lose someone you love is terrible, she knows that, that's why she's always careful about forming relationships. It was a few minutes when Regina finally looked at her, gave her a weak smile, and said, "Now it's your turn."

* * *

"I've never been in a relationship…" Emma said, looking at Regina whose turn is now to raise her eyebrow in disbelief. "No, really, I had crushes and a few times I believed I was in love. There might be instances when I was in a mutual understanding with someone but we've never been together as a couple."

"Why?"

"It's complicated."

"Try me."

This is it, Emma thought, the one secret that can push Regina away. She leaned back in her seat, clasped both hands to her lap, and took a deep breath before saying, "They're all girls… women."

Regina was surprised, and something else… elation, perhaps? She cleared her throat then asked, "So you're gay?"

Emma noted that the question was purely due to curiosity and does not have a tint of derision or awkwardness. It gave her the confidence and hope that her next words will be accepted.

"I've never really tried to define myself. I've grown up with mostly women and I studied in an all-girl's school so it was kind of normal that I didn't think any of it. My past… relations were all like me, 'not straight' if you want to give it a term, so it felt OK to be in that kind of situation."

"And you've never been courted by a guy or a girl?"

"There were a few guys but I've never gone on a date with any of them. There's this one particular guy who've shown interest more than the others but I was preoccupied with someone at that time so I didn't really pay attention to him. Maybe if I wasn't too busy, I might have reciprocated his feelings.

As for the women, I'm more of the man in the relationship so no, I never courted anyone even if I knew they felt the same way. I was content with being friends. It never occurred to me to ask them if they wanted to be more than that. Sometimes I think that maybe I'm scared of being rejected or of eventually being left."

The consultant absorbed all this information. She was about to say something when Emma continued, "Then sometimes I think that maybe I just haven't found the person who I'm willing to take that chance."

Regina, overwhelmed with emotion and hope, was only able to answer, "Yeah". Then she realized that Emma was staring at her intently and has held her right hand. She watched as the younger woman slowly turn it face up and began brushing each finger with her own from the palm to the fingertips – little finger, ring finger, middle finger, pointer finger, then thumb – before intertwining their hands together. That is how they stayed while they talked about other things until it was time to go home.

* * *

**I've already written the next chapter and I'm hoping to post it before the Christmas break as my Christmas gift to you all. Or maybe I'll post more chapters. Let's see. Good night!**


	8. Chapter 8

**As promised, here is an update before Christmas. I made two chapters because I thought it will be like my Christmas gift to you guys. :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"Oh g—Regina, right there, oh!" Emma slumped back on the blanket with closed eyes and a satisfied smile on her lips. "That was amazing…"

It was a simple head and back massage with clothes on and in the park but it could have been in a 5-star spa center with the skilled hands Regina has. And maybe it was something the younger woman really, really needed at the moment. They were spending a Saturday afternoon in the grounds inside Emma's university.

"You're very tense. You should try to relax and get more sleep."

"I need to finish my requirements for school if I want to graduate on time."

With eyes still closed, Emma moved towards her companion, placing her head beside her legs. She felt hands brushing hair away from her face and the soothing effect soon lulled her to sleep.

Regina continued the motion until she was sure that Emma was asleep. She then placed a soft kiss on her forehead, took out her pocketbook and began reading. It was a nice, quiet afternoon if Regina says so even while the OJT slept beside her. At some point, the blonde rolled on her side facing her and an arm slung over her legs. Regina tensed in surprised at first then eventually relaxed and a smile tugged on her lips. Yes, it's definitely a nice day today, she decides.

It was almost two hours later when Emma finally woke up. The first thing she felt was that she was hugging something soft but firm and realized that it was Regina's waist. Slowly extracting herself, she looked up and saw that the black-haired beauty was awake and looking at her. She smiled sheepishly and said, "I'm sorry I fell asleep."

"It's OK. You needed sleep and you looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake you." Regina sat up and moved her head side to side to remove the kinks. At some point, the younger woman moved her arms up to her waist and snuggled her face on her legs. She was going to remove the arms but the sleeping beauty murmured "Regina" and so she stopped. The next thing she knew, she was putting down her book and lying down. She did not sleep because their things might get stolen even though there were only a few people around. The arms around her and the fingers brushing against her skin with every inhale and exhale sent small thrills inside her. It was confusing. It was a good thing then that Emma finally woke up.

Regina stood up and began packing their things. "Are you ready to go?" she asked.

Emma looked at the time and sighed, "Yeah. I'm really sorry I wasn't good company today."

"You can make it up to me next time."

"Well in that case, would you like to come with me to Mary Margaret's birthday party? It's going to be in two weeks from now, Friday night."

"I'm not invited."

"Actually you are." Emma took out an invite from her bag and handed it to the other woman. "I almost forgot to give this to you."

Regina looked at the envelope with her name scrawled on it. "A luau party, huh? I guess we're going."

* * *

Two weeks passed. Emma said goodbye to Golden Endeavors, submitted the last of her requirements in school, and is now waiting for graduation. She also received an invitation for a job interview at a recruitment agency scheduled on the Saturday after the party. She did not see Regina during those two weeks and so she was very excited for the party and the job interview because Regina is going with her.

Mary Margaret's birthday came and there were many people. Emma met the celebrant's best friend, Red, and her childhood friends who were all boys, all seven of them. She and Regina mingled together or on their own with other people. She did not drink since she has an interview the next day and she noticed that Regina, although holding a glass of wine, was drinking sparingly. The one guest that she assumed had more than two glasses already is Killian Jones. Their former director, upon seeing her, smiled widely, carried her bridal style, shouted "Ahoy!" and then leaped into the pool. Emma was going to retaliate upon surfacing but then laughed as she watched Killian's mascara makeup run down from his eyes to his chin.

Margaret scolded Killian half-heartedly while helping Emma to her feet. When Killian was finally out of the water too, Regina appeared beside him and pushed him back into the water. The three women were still laughing when they left him spluttering in the water. Meanwhile, some of the boys decided to join him and jumped into the pool too.

The two spent the rest of the night talking with Kathryn and Frederick, a family friend of Mary Margaret they met at the party. By 12 midnight, the guests were slowly leaving. Frederick offered to drive them home but Kathryn said she brought a car and Regina is riding with her. Emma said that she's staying over with Mary Margaret. Emma walked Regina to the car while Kathryn and Frederick walked ahead, exchanging numbers. She linked her right arm with the older woman's left arm and pulled the latter a bit closer to her. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Regina held her just above the spot where their arms linked and said, "What if you go home with me tonight?"

The blonde is thrilled with the idea but remembered that she promised their hostess. With a heavy heart she replied, "I can't because I promised MM."

"OK. Then maybe I can pick you up instead."

"You don't have to do that. I can just meet you at the venue."

"I'd like to. Be ready by 8am and don't worry about breakfast." Regina then kissed her good night then rode away with Kathryn.

#

"You have a car AND a driver." Emma looked at the sleek black Mercedes. Regina opened the door and waited for the former OJT to make herself comfortable.

"The car is actually second-hand but still performs and looks like a new one. It was my gift to myself. The driver is my aunt's. They are over at our house now so I borrowed him. We'll go home first for breakfast then we'll ride a taxi to the interview venue."

It was a 20-minute ride. When the gate opened, Emma could not believe her eyes again. Regina has a lawn and the house is big. Her own house fits in the living room alone. She was still looking around in awe while Regina steered her by the shoulders towards the dining table.

"Choose where you want to sit." Regina prompted.

Emma looked at the chair arrangements. There were three on the long sides of the table and one each on the end sides. She sat on a middle chair on the side nearest the kitchen. When Regina gave her an amused smile, Emma was curious and so asked for an explanation.

"That's where I sit too."

Emma smiled as if she hit a jackpot. She continued looking around the house from where she sat when she saw one of the bedroom doors open and out came an old woman. They looked at each other for a while before the latter turned to look at Regina and called her name.

Regina turned towards the voice and replied, "Mother, you're awake. This is Emma. Emma, my mother, Cora."

"Good morning ma'am." Emma felt uneasy under the gaze of the woman but tried to keep up a calm façade.

Cora walked towards them, stopping behind the chair opposite Emma. She continued to look at her daughter's guest before speaking again.

"Where are you going?"

Regina spoke with her back still turned away from them, putting the omelette on the plate with the bread, "Emma has an interview today."

"And you're going with her?"

Emma saw Regina's hands stiffen while in the act of placing the plate of breakfast in front of her.

"Yes."

Cora remained quiet for a few seconds then said, "What time did you get home last night?"

"I arrived past one in the morning. You were already asleep."

"Did she stay the night?" Cora said not looking at Emma.

"No mother. She arrived this morning."

Cora, thankfully, decided to stop the interrogation. Meanwhile, Emma tried to eat as fast as she can and after two minutes, she cleaned out her plate. She cleared her throat to catch Regina's attention. Both mother and daughter looked at her but she tried to keep her eyes on Regina only.

"I'm finished. Can I go to the restroom?"

Regina pointed towards a door and Emma excused herself. She can hear them talking but cannot make out the words. Truthfully, she believes it was better that way because from the sound of it, they might be arguing and she knows that her friend will probably be embarrassed if she knew that she heard anything. When Emma opened the door, she found Regina waiting for her right outside while Cora was in the living room.

"Ready to go?" Regina asked.

Emma nodded then turning to Cora said, "It was nice meeting you Mrs. Mills."

Cora nodded once at Emma in acknowledgment then watched as her daughter and friend leave.

It was only when they were inside the taxi on the way to their destination when Regina spoke again.

"Are you nervous?"

"Only a bit but if my interviewer is like your mom then I might be in trouble." Emma said, grinning at the woman trying to lighten the mood.

Regina smiled back and said, "Yeah. I'm sorry about that. As you may have seen, great people skills are not in our genes."

"I don't think that's true," Emma replied, squeezing the other woman's arm. "I think you're a great friend."

Regina smiled during the ride.

* * *

The interview was a success. Emma was given a month to comply with the pre-employment requirements. It was a Monday when she found herself waiting for her turn to give her documents to the hiring manager. She sat with four other girls for about an hour and the small talk has turned to a more personal and interesting topics.

"What do you think of lesbians?" Mulan, the Asian-looking girl, asked suddenly. Emma was surprised when Belle, the one sitting beside her said, "I have a girlfriend."

"Really? Me too." Mulan said smiling then turned to the other girl, Ella, "How about you?"

Ella gestured "no" with her head then said that she has gay friends however and they're all great people.

Mulan, satisfied with the answer, looked to Emma. "And you?"

In the few seconds that it took Emma to reply, the happenings of the past months and of last Saturday flashed in her mind. She's never been the way she is except with Regina. She never looked at another person romantically since Regina. Her world for the past months revolved around Regina. How they are to each other is more than being just friends and she was sure that she loves and is in love with her.

_-Flashback to last Saturday-_

_Emma and Regina were texting each other that night. Regina was telling her about her afternoon with Kathryn earlier. Emma tried to sound happy and laugh at the funny moments but all she can think about is how she wished she was the one that the other woman spent the afternoon with. The next thing she knew she texted "I miss you" to which the other woman replied, "I miss you too."_

_Emma stared at the screen and felt something from within her chest trying to claw its way out. Secrets. Or rather, The Secret. The one that she's been keeping for a long time. She's never told anyone outright that she likes them. For her, action speaks louder than words. This time though, it's different. She wants to say out loud that she's in love. That she's finally in love. Courage failed her though so instead she just said "I wish I can spend more time with you."_

_Nothing happened for a minute and then her phone rang. The screen showed her textmate's name. She answered and heard "I wish for that too."_

_Emma sighed deeply trying to keep the words at bay. She must have been silent for an unusual amount of time because Regina whispered, "Are you asleep?"_

_"No. Just thinking."_

_"About?"_

_Be brave Emma. Be brave. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and said, "I like you."_

_Emma did not realize she was gripping her phone to her ear until she heard the same words whispered back to her. She realized that the older woman must not have understood her so she corrected her. "No, I like, LIKE you."_

_Silence again. She covered her face with her free hand, eyes still closed and waited for any reaction. When nothing happened, she decided to continue. "I've liked you for some time. I believe, from even before we became friends and… I think it's time that you know how I really feel because you might think that I'm taking advantage of your friendship. I like you as more than a friend but I also like you as a friend. I'm not expecting that you'll reciprocate my feelings. I just want you to know how I feel towards you."_

_When Regina still kept silent, Emma realized that she must have overwhelmed her with her confession. She would feel the same way if she was in her place. With that in mind, she decided to end the call before she say something else that would push her away._

_"I hope you're not mad at me."_

_"Of course not."_

_"That's a good thing." Emma chuckled lightly. "Well, it's late. Good night Regina. Sweet dreams."_

_"Good night, Emma."_

_The next day, Emma received a text from Regina._

_"Sometimes we meet people who unconsciously wiggle their way into our hearts and the next thing you know, they own it."_

-Present day-

"Yes, I also have a girlfriend." Emma said. She tried smiling to mask the uncertainty. As her newfound friends began swapping stories about their love lives, Emma started thinking about how she'll tell Regina that they're a couple.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

After Emma's confession last Saturday, saying that Regina is overwhelmed is an understatement. She felt her heart bursting, just like when Emma makes her happy, which is every time. This time though, it is much more… almost enough to tell the younger woman that she feels the same way. Almost. She's been in love only once and it's been a long time. She sometimes feels that she has already forgotten how to love. After Daniel, her heart has never spoken to anyone else. Not until Emma. She was going to say something but then Emma asked her if she's mad and instead of saying, "I can never get angry with you" which is the truth, she said "of course not". The next thing she knew, she was bidding her good night and all Regina can do is say the same thing. She ended the call but the thoughts continued running in her head. She fell asleep thinking about Emma.

When she woke up the next day, she was still thinking about Emma. She does not know what to say and a simple hello does not seem enough after the younger woman poured out her heart. She therefore tried to come up with a message dressed as a quote. She came up with _"Sometimes we meet people who unconsciously wiggle their way into our hearts and the next thing you know, they own it."_

The reply she received was a simple smiley face and she felt herself smile back. Now comes Monday and she found herself on her way to the blonde. Emma told her that she's going to submit her pre-employment requirements that afternoon and so she decided to surprise her and pick her up at her future office. When she arrived, Regina asked the guard which floor new hires submit their documents and was pointed to the fourth floor. She saw her person of interest when she exited the elevator. Emma was at the other end of the hallway and talking with a group of girls. Not knowing how to proceed, she decided to make a phone call.

Emma was in the midst of thinking about how to go about telling Regina what she did when she felt her phone vibrate. She looked at the caller's name and smiled.

"Hi."

"Are you still in the office?" Regina asked while watching the other woman. She was smiling but there was something else in her face. When Emma said yes, she said, "me too." She watched their ex-OJT crane her neck above the other girls' heads and looking around, confusion etched in her face until she saw the consultant and then her face broke into a smile. Regina heard Emma excuse herself from the group and began walking towards her, the call already ended. She met the latter halfway and gave her a brief hug.

Pink tint crawled in Emma's face but she continued to smile and sat them down. There were almost no other people in the hallway except for the six of them but Emma decided to sit them away and far from hearing shot of her new friends because she has another confession to make. It's best that she tell Regina the truth now instead of the truth imploding in her face if any of her previous companions suddenly mention anything about it, or worse, ask if she's the girlfriend she talked about.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"I thought I'd surprise you and invite you afterwards for a little celebration for your first job." Regina said, still smiling.

"Oh… that's sweet. I'd love that. I'll be finished in a while."

They sat for a while in silence. Emma tried to build up the courage to tell Regina what she did. She realized that the best thing to do is just say it out right.

"You see those girls over there?" Emma asked looking at her new office mates. Regina nodded and so she continued. "The one nearest us is Belle. Then the next girl is Mulan, then Ella." Emma looked back at her friends and took a deep breath. "Mulan and Belle are gay. Well, Belle is bisexual but they both currently have girlfriends." She turned slowly to Regina, her heart hammering. "And I told them I have a girlfriend too."

Regina thought that she should probably be angry but she's not. Emma wanted her. Wanted her as her girlfriend. Her heart burst and she thinks she heard sweet sounding music somewhere. She smiled back at the person who already owns her heart and found herself saying "Ok."

Emma searched her face for a reaction and then she saw a tiny spark in her eyes, then a smile, then she heard the words "Ok" escape from Regina's mouth.

Emma felt a huge weight she did not realize she was carrying taken out of her chest. She smiled back in both relief and happiness and smiled wider when Regina kissed her on the cheek. She did not know what else to say so she took the other woman's hands in hers and then kissed her too. As she looked at their hands linked together, something clicked in place. She realized that she's holding her whole world right now in her hands and Emma felt that she's found what she's been searching for. If soul mates are real then she's found her missing half. For the first time in her life, she no longer feels alone. She's now complete.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the two chapters update. I know that this chapter is short but I wanted it to end on a happy note because: 1) as I said in my summary, this story may or may not have a happy ending; and 2) I said in my author's note in Chapter 8 that this is my Christmas gift to you guys and it's not a Christmas gift if it's not fun, right?**

**So there. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Emma is happy. She looked at the hands clasping hers and smiled as she felt Regina – her girlfriend – tug her towards one of the displays. Scratch that. Girlfriend does not feel right. It seems too immature a term to call Regina. Love of my life? Too long. Cheesy. Redundant. She is my love AND my life. Partner? Hmmm… sounds heavy but it has a better ring to it. She can already picture the future where -

"Emma!"

"Huh?" She looked at her girlfriend-partner-love-of-my-life and noticed a tiny frown marring her face. "Did you say something?"

Regina let out an impatient sigh and instead of repeating herself, asked the younger woman where she went.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking about something."

"Would you like to tell me what it is?" Regina noticed a faint blush on the other woman's cheek and felt intrigued. She kept her stare until Emma turned away.

"I was thinking how this feels surreal and that I couldn't be any happier than this… than being here." Emma said and held up their entwined hands to stress her point.

Regina cannot believe that Emma is mirroring her own feelings. She was scared of saying it because it might be too early in their relationship. She tried to peer into her eyes for any signs of a lie but cannot find any. She was awoken from her emotional reverie when she felt hands trying to escape from hers and noticed the faint blush on Emma's face growing redder by the second, probably from embarrassment due to her continued silence.

Emma needed reassurance and so Regina did the only thing she could do at the moment in public. She gripped her hands, pulled her closely to her that they're almost touching, placed a soft peck on her cheek then whispered, "I'm happy too."

She pulled Emma again towards one of the artworks that caught her fancy. She glanced back at her and saw a broad smile on the latter's face and thought, yes, I'm very, very happy.

It was another hour when they finally finished their tour of the museum. It was still early in the afternoon but the big tree canopies shadowing the park outside of the museum softened the glare of the sun. The cool flowing breeze made it a perfect weather for cuddling, or at least sitting close together, on a bench.

Emma had to go home in a while but it was so peaceful in her current position. Regina had an arm around her shoulders while her head rested against the space between Regina's heart and shoulder. They weren't talking but words does not seem necessary at the moment. Emma's right fingers were intertwined with Regina's free hand while her thumb drew random patterns on the other woman's palm. The steady beat of the Regina's heart was tempting her to fall asleep. It was only when Emma felt her phone vibrate that she realized she had to go. She promised her mother that they were going grocery shopping before dinner. She straightened up and squeezed the hand before letting go. An idea popped in her mind.

"Come to my house next week. I want you to meet my parents." Emma said. At the slightly alarmed expression on Regina's face, she quickly added, "As my friend! I know we've agreed to let this be our secret for now but I still want you to meet my parents."

Regina let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "OK, I'll be there for lunch."

* * *

"Mom, Dad, this is my friend Regina."

"Hi Regina. You can call me Snow and that is David." Emma's mother said, pointing to her husband who smiled at her.

"Thank you Snow and David. It's nice to meet you and thanks for having me for lunch."

"It's nice to finally meet a friend of Emma. Have a seat. The food is almost ready."

Emma led Regina to the dining area. "Choose where you want to sit except for those two over there because that's where they sit."

The table was round and there were five chairs. Regina chose the chair opposite both Snow and David. Emma almost pulled out the chair for her but she caught herself in time. She sat down on Regina's right side.

"That's my chair." Emma said smiling.

Regina remembered the time when Emma also chose her chair when she visited her house before. She smiled back.

It was a fairly tension-less lunch. Regina answered questions about her work but was a little tight-lipped about her family. Still, Emma learned that she is the breadwinner. She realized that they never talked about Regina's family and felt guilty for not asking about it.

When lunch was over, Emma invited Regina up to her room. She did not have a plan beyond lunch but she had a small pile of movies she was planning to watch.

Regina looked around the room. There was a single-sized bed, a television on top of the small table and a DVD player on the bottom shelf. A reading lamp and a picture frame were on the floor beside the table. There was also a floor-length wall cabinet beside the door and a big window covering almost half of one of the walls overlooking the terrace.

Emma chose a suspense-thriller film. She likes to watch those types of films but cannot watch it alone so she decided to take advantage of the company. When she turned back after popping in the DVD in the player, she saw Regina seated on the floor and leaning on the wall beside the window. She was going to tell her that they could sit on the bed when two things happened: Regina motioned for her to sit on the floor beside her and her mother went to the terrace to hang-dry newly washed rags.

She looked at Regina and decided that she picked the perfect hiding spot; not that they were going to do something that will scandalize her parents. They were just going to watch a film - then she saw Regina tap the floor between her legs - in a possibly intimate position that friends do not do. Yup, better not on the bed.

When Emma finally sat down, Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's waist and pulled her closer. The movie played but neither was really focusing on it. Emma had placed her hands of top of Regina's and was once again drawing circles on the older woman's right palm. Whether it was conscious or unconscious, Regina was not sure but it was making her tingle in several places. She became more aware that Emma's ass is very near her core and if Emma looks up at her, it would only need a slight dip of her head to close that distance between their lips.

Regina cleared her throat before speaking. "Do you know that what you're doing with my palm has a meaning?"

"You mean this?" Emma placed Regina's palm face up and continued the light circling motion.

"Y-yes."

"What does it mean?"

Regina was not sure why she brought up the topic but knew that Emma will not stop unless she answered. "A friend said it means you want to be… intimate with someone."

Emma stopped what she was doing but did not let go of the hand. Then she looked up at Regina. "Really?"

When Regina's eyes met Emma's she cannot understand what she's seeing. When she answered "yes", she felt a thumb brushing against her palm again. She found herself glancing at the blonde's lips and realized that Emma hasn't stopped looking at her. She then realized what she was seeing in the younger woman's eyes because it mirrored her own. Desire.

Regina dipped her head and felt soft lips against her own. It was a short kiss but as she looked at Emma, she saw that she had her eyes closed. She kissed her again, this time longer than the first one.

When Emma first felt lips cover hers she did not realize that she closed her eyes. It was her first kiss and now she understands why people like it. It was a chaste one but she felt sparks and tingle in her whole body. When the second one came, she felt her nerves were ready to burst. Then it stopped and she opened her eyes.

Regina was smiling at her affectionately, her cheeks a beautiful shade of pink. Emma licked her lips, which drew her girlfriend's eyes towards it, and she was almost tempted to kiss her this time when she heard a noise outside the door. She realized that during those few seconds – or was it minutes – her body had turned to the side. Both of her legs were resting on top of Regina's left leg and her left hand clamped on Regina's right shoulder.

When Emma smiled shyly at Regina, the older woman realized that she has wanted to kiss her for as long as she can remember. She helped her untangle herself from her and tried to smooth down her blouse then brushed Emma's beautiful curls away from the blonde's face. Then she once again wrapped her arms around the younger woman and when the latter rested her body against hers, she finally spoke.

"My aunt owns an apartment and no one uses it but it's completely furnished. Would you like to come with me there next week?"

After what happened today, Emma somehow knew that a privacy of that kind would tempt her to further things physically. She was scared but also excited. She is not sure if she is ready but she knows that if she wants to French kiss someone, or something beyond that for the first time, she wants it to be with Regina.

With her heart and mind made up, she placed her hands again on top of Regina's and squeezed.

"OK."


	11. Chapter 11

**To the guest who requested a happy ending - I want the same thing. I have the ending already even before I made the story but I was still hoping for a happy ending thus the clause 'may or may not have'. Let's see where these two characters want to go.  
**

**For now, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Saturday came. Emma and Regina had planned to meet before lunch. If all Emma thought over the week was what could happen this day with Regina, things changed this morning.

She was still slightly shaken over what occurred while she was on her way to their meeting place. She could not explain how it happened. She's only heard it in the news how some people hand over their money to complete strangers only to realize later that they've been stolen from. Victims claim it was like being hypnotized. They cannot recall their assailant's face nor what happened exactly. Emma used to think that the victims were very gullible or stupid. Now, however, she believes them. Although she knows that what could have happened to her earlier would have been more horrible.

Regina already saw Emma from a distance. The young woman didn't hear her calling to her from inside the taxi. She got out and touched Emma in the arm. The latter jumped slightly .

She could tell something was wrong when she received a half-hearted smile. She can tell because when Emma smiles at her, her green eyes usually sparkle. This time, however, they did not.

Regina decided to wait for Emma to talk but after 15 minutes of total silence, she gave in.

"Do you still want to go with me?"

Emma tensed then quickly relaxed when she remembered who she was with.

"Yes I do. Something happened this morning. I'm sorry. I promise to be a better company in 3...2...-"

"Emma, what happened?"

If Emma didn't feel like crying, she probably would have kept silent but her insides were in turmoil about the ordeal that she took a deep breath and told her story.

"I was walking inside this mall. I was just passing through and was about to exit when I checked my phone for the time. When I looked up, this guy was in front of me and he was smiling. He was smiling like he knew me. He asked if I worked at Golden Endeavours and when I said yes, he said that he used to see me in the morning because he worked in one of the offices nearby. Then he asked me if I could help him buy a gift for her daughter and he doesn't know how to shop for a girl. I don't remember saying yes. I probably did because the next thing I knew, he was leading me down the escalator and holding my hand. He was saying something about how he lost his wife a couple of years ago and that now it was only him and his daughter when he suddenly intertwined our hands together."

"It was like I was waking up from a trance and I suddenly realized what was happening. We were in the basement and only a few people were around. I removed my hand from his clasp and said someone was waiting for me so I had to leave now. I tried to walk away as quickly as I can without running because he might decide to stop me if he feels I was going to report him to security. Then you came."

Emma took a deep breath once she finished and realized that during her narration, Regina had engulfed her in her arms and was running a hand up and down her back in a soothing motion.

"I don't know if I'm more scared or embarrassed for falling for whatever that man did." Emma added.

Regina is not a bad person but now, with her girlfriend trying hard to stop tears from falling, all she can think about are what evil things she can do to the man. If he truly works near her, she can try to look for him.

"Did he give you his name?"

"Um..I think he said his name is Jefferson."

"Do you remember how he looks like?"

"No but I remember he is a bit taller than me and has unruly hair. He also said his daughter's name is Grace. Why?"

"So that if I see him I can break his hands. And maybe gauge out his eyes."

It was probably the adrenaline but Emma found the supposedly bad thought terribly romantic. She finally smiled a real smile and pecked her girlfriend in the cheek.

"That's sweet. Thank you but I'd rather forget and move on."

Regina still thinks they should report it but since Emma cannot remember his face, it might be difficult to find him. So she decided to let Emma have her way.

"But Emma, if I meet someone named Jefferson with a daughter will you let me avenge you?"

This earned her another kiss.

* * *

They asked the taxi to drop them off at the small restaurant beside the apartment building. Regina recommended buying take-out food for lunch. They bought a salad, chicken and potatoes. Emma ordered cheesecake because it is one of her comfort food. And she wanted to get as much comfort as she could right now.

Regina prepared their food while Emma looked around. The apartment is bigger than what Emma expected. The living room fit two couches and a television. The kitchen area also served as a dining area with a table good for four people pushed against the wall. There were 2 dining chairs. The bedroom has a queen-sized bed, a bathroom, and a wardrobe cabinet fills one side of the wall.

"Did your aunt live here alone?"

"No, she lived here with her partner."

"Partner?"

"Yes. They were like us."

"You mean they're both women?"

Regina nodded. She knew that Emma was in her own world as she watched her look around the place. Her shoulder was tense and she wished that she can read what is in her mind – was it still about what happened this morning or that they are in a very private place for the first time.

She's nervous too. The whole week, she keeps on thinking about why she suggested this place. From the way Emma had answered yes to her proposal last week, she feels that it might just be lust that's talking, an emotion they've established is foreign to the younger woman. They've never talked about sex even when they were just friends. From what she heard from other people, sometimes sex happens first before a kiss. Sometimes it's just a kiss or sex and no relationship. With Daniel, he kissed her when she agreed to be his girlfriend. It's not that she's not physically attracted to Emma because she is. It's just that there is so much about Emma she's interested in that so far, sex has been far from her conscious mind. Until that kiss.

As she laid down the last utensil on the table, Regina decided that she would let Emma decide what happens today. She motioned for Emma to come to the dining table.

* * *

"So what do you want to watch next?" Emma asked while flipping thru the various channels. She's half-lying across Regina, much like how they were in the museum bench but this time she's bare-foot and has her feet on top of the coffee table. They settled down in the living room after lunch and had watched random shows for the past hour. She's feeling a bit sleepy but saying the word sleep or bed makes her uncomfortable, and something else, and she's not sure how Regina will react. But then she had to suddenly yawn.

The brushing hand on her hair stopped and she heard Regina ask, "Do you want to sleep?"

"Umm..."

"Come on." Regina pulled Emma to the bedroom. She removed the bed cover and fluffed the pillow. She tried not to think about that they're in a bedroom and that Emma is just a few steps away from her, still by the door and probably looking unsure what to do. When she's done preparing the bed, she walked to Emma.

"I'm sure there are no bed bugs in there. I'll just be in the living room."

"Can you stay with me?" Emma said and adding please. The cheesecake failed this time to comfort her and it was having Regina's arm around her that has so far helped her forget her ordeal. At least that's what she's telling herself as the reason for the invitation.

Regina looked at the pleading eyes and understood what Emma needed. She sat them both in the bed and removed her heels. She scooted back to the bedside nearest the wall, laid in supine position, and opened her arms for Emma to move right into.

Emma snuggled into Regina's arms, tucking her head under her girlfriend's head and wrapping her right arm around the woman's waist. She can't help but let out a sigh and close her eyes as Regina began a soothing motion to her back.

"Now go to sleep Ms. Swan."

It's been a long time since Regina called her that. The last time was before she left Golden Endeavors and it was only when they were in a business setting. Hearing it now while engulfed in the other woman's arms gave it a new and better effect.

"Yes Ms. Mills."

Emma heard a faint chuckle then felt a kiss on top of her head. Something stirred in her. She removed her head from under Regina's chin and moved up a bit to put them in eye level.

They stared into each other's eyes and tried to read what the other is thinking. Regina saw affection and love. Something she's rarely received and cannot help but wonder how lucky she is for having Emma.

Emma saw the same thing and thanked all the blessed beings that Golden Endeavours accepted her application into the On-the-Job Training Program. She actually did not apply in the company for fear of being rejected but one of her school friends submitted her application in secret.

"Did you know that if my friend did not send my application to Golden Endeavours we probably wouldn't have met?" Emma said, wanting to share her realization. "Then I wouldn't be right here, now, with you."

"Well I guess we owe your friend a gift." Regina said, smiling.

"I'll buy her one."

They were silent for a moment, content in looking at each other, then Emma spoke again.

"I guess things do happen for a reason, huh?"

Regina touched Emma's face, tracing her left pointer finger down her right eyebrow down to the corner of her lips and then lingered in the bottom contour of Emma's lips. Her eyes followed her finger's movement.

She heard Emma say her name in a questioning tone and in a voice slightly above a whisper but it's like she's in a trance as she stared at the lips before her. Then she was slightly moving forward and closing the gap between them.

It was moan, Regina wasn't sure which of them made it, that made her realize that they were kissing but instead of stopping, it only made her deepen the kiss. It was still a close-mouthed one but it was heated and it made her remember her earlier resolve that she will let Emma run the course.

She stopped kissing her and pushed herself slightly off the bed so that she's looking down at Emma. What she saw made everything around them fade for a second. Emma has her eyes still closed, seemingly lost in blissful existence and unaware that Regina has stopped.

"Emma?" She whispered.

Emma heard her name and realized that she's closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was met with chocolate ones. She raised her right arm to cradle the side of her girlfriends face and brushed her thumb across her cheek. She does not know what to say but she knows that she wants to keep on kissing her. So she did. She pulled the other woman's face slowly towards her own, making sure not to lose eye contact. She wanted to let Regina know that she wants this but that she will let Regina decide so when there was only a hair width of distance between their lips, she stopped.

Regina realized what Emma was doing and she only glanced at the younger woman's lips once before looking back at her eyes and then crashed their lips together. The moan was louder this time and it was all the encouragement she needed to do what she's wanted to do since last week. Removing her right arm from under Emma's head, she moved her upper body on top of Emma's while resting her weight on her newly freed arm and continued to hold Emma's face with the other one. When Emma moaned again, Regina finally thrust her tongue inside her girlfriend's mouth.

When Emma felt the tongue brushing against her teeth then her palette, she wasn't sure what to do first but then instincts kicked in and she found her tongue responding. Then there was just a flurry of mouths, of lips, and tongues.

Emma does not know how to describe the moment if someone asks her but it feels like a very beautiful dance. She's not familiar with dances but it might be a tango, a salsa, maybe a rumba, or one of those sexy dances where clothes are almost indecent. There was a bit of teasing, of seduction, of caress, of desire. If their mouths are the dancers, their moans are both the music and the applause.

Regina is lost in the moment. If anyone asks her has she ever tried drugs she was probably going to say yes. Emma is bringing her to a level of high that she doesn't want to come down from. Regina knows that Emma has never done this before but she has to have more. She moved her legs so that they now straddled Emma's right leg. She placed her left hand just above the golden curls and bent her arms so that she slightly rested on her elbow then inserted her left hand inside Emma's shirt and touched the skin underneath.

Emma gasped from the sensation and gripped Regina's body on both sides, bringing the older woman to flop down fully on top of her.

The new position made Regina to stop. She moved her mouth away from Emma but ensured that their breathing and talking will cause their lips to continue brushing against each other.

"I want to make love to you Emma but I also think that we should take this slow."

"If this is slow, I'd love to see what fast is." Emma said, her green orbs crinkling. This earned her a deep but short kiss.

Regina sat back, careful not to sit on Emma's legs then began peeling of her clothes then Emma's except for their panties.

"This kind of slow, Emma."

Emma's only response to the almost-naked beauty in front of her is the automatic dilation of her pupils and gripping her lover's arms to close the gnawing gap between their bodies.

The dance that began with mouths finally extended to include arms, legs, necks, and other parts of their being that are aching for each other. There was touching, grabbing, groping, probing, caressing, and gripping. Moans, gasps, pleadings, praises, and names shouted surrounded the room.

And then finally, they both reached that moment where two people making love knows as hallelujah.


End file.
